title: Treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor-incorporated gelatin hydrogel does not exacerbate mechanical allodynia after spinal cord contusion injury in rats.
abstract: Besides stimulating angiogenesis or cell survival, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has the potential for protecting neurons in the injured spinal cord.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of a sustained-release system of bFGF from gelatin hydrogel (GH) in a rat spinal cord contusion model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a spinal cord contusion injury at the T10 vertebral level using an IH impactor (200 kdyn). One week after contusion, GH containing bFGF (20 µg) was injected into the lesion epicenter (bFGF - GH group). The GH-only group was designated as the control. Locomotor recovery was assessed over 9 weeks by Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan rating scale, along with inclined plane and Rota-rod testing. Sensory abnormalities in the hind paws of all the rats were evaluated at 5, 7, and 9 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in any of the motor assessments at any time point between the bFGF - GH group and the control GH group. The control GH group showed significantly more mechanical allodynia than did the group prior to injury. In contrast, the bFGF - GH group showed no statistically significant changes of mechanical withdrawal thresholds compared with pre-injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that bFGF-incorporated GH could have therapeutic potential for alleviating mechanical allodynia following spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koda
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dezawa
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matsuse
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005780:Gelatin; D020100:Hydrogels; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D005780:Gelatin